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Gizdodo (gizzards and plantain in pepper sauce)
Gizdodo: fried chicken gizzards and sweet dodo tossed in a hot red pepper sauce
No Lagos owambe buffet is complete without a tray of gizdodo, where chewy fried chicken gizzards and caramelised cubes of ripe plantain (dodo) are tossed together in a glossy, fiery tatashe and scotch bonnet sauce. It is sweet, hot and savoury all at once, and served as a starter, a side to jollof or a snack. Gizzards must be boiled until tender before frying, and for safety they should reach 74°C in the thickest part, which they easily do by the end of the simmer. Frying plantain that is too green is a common mistake, leaving it starchy instead of sweet, so choose yellow fruit with black spots. Chef's tip: fry the plantain last, just before tossing, so it stays crisp-edged rather than soggy.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the gizzards
- 1 ⅛ lb chicken gizzardscleaned, yellow lining peeled off, halved
- ½ onionsliced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 stock cubescrumbled; check they are gluten free
- ½ tsp salt
For the sauce and plantain
- 2 red bell peppers (tatashe)chopped
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- 1 onionhalf blended, half diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- ⅓ oz fresh ginger
- 2 ½ cups vegetable oilfor frying, 3 tbsp kept for the sauce
- 3 ripe plantainsyellow with black spots, peeled, cut in 2 cm cubes
- ½ green bell pepper (optional)diced
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb chicken gizzards in a pot with ½ onion, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp curry powder, 1 stock cubes, ½ tsp salt and water to just cover. Simmer for 30 minutes, until tender when pierced. Drain, saving 100 ml of the stock, and pat dry.
30 minStep 2: Blend 2 red bell peppers (tatashe), 2 scotch bonnet chillies, 2 tomatoes, the blending half of the 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic and ⅓ oz fresh ginger until smooth.
2 minStep 3: Heat 3 tbsp of the 2 ½ cups vegetable oil in a pan and fry the blend over a medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring, until thick and the oil rises. Stir in the saved stock.
15 minStep 4: Heat the rest of the oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry the gizzards for 3–4 minutes, until browned and slightly crisp. Drain.
4 minStep 5: Fry 3 ripe plantains in the same oil for 4–5 minutes, until deep golden at the edges. Drain on paper towels.
5 minStep 6: Add the gizzards, diced onion and ½ green bell pepper to the sauce and stir for 2 minutes until hot. Fold in the plantain gently and serve straight away.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gizdodo (gizzards and plantain in pepper sauce) take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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